Thinking about VPatricks question about the 20th Maine and if Oates took LRT, who could he count on to reinforce him? If I'm not mistaken Longstreet had no designated reserve force on is right flank. All of Hood's and McLaw's troops were committed to the initial attack. Am I missing something?

Basically, nobody.The real left flank of the AOP was on Houck's Ridge, at least until Vincent's brigade got to LRT. Had the attack gone as planned, there would have been no attack there at all. It only ended up happening when Confederate troops were drawn east and up BRT by Union sharpshooter fire and were then ordered to head north toward LRT. Aside from the AL and TX regiments involved in the fighting, they were pretty much on their own. Which is why suggestions about all the damage Confederate artillery on the hill could have caused rings hollow. What artillery might that have been?

---------------Jim Cameron

Every time I go to Gettysburg, I learn two things. Something new, and, how much I still don't know.

Regarding the ‘importance' of LRT, the following two quotes are from MG Meade who should have had some idea of the importance of that location:

“At the same time that they threw these immense masses against General Sickles a heavy column was thrown upon the Round Top mountain, which was the key-point of my whole position. If they had succeeded in occupying that, it would have prevented me from holding any of the ground which I subsequently held to the last.”(First JCCW testimony)

“…the enemy would have secured Round Top, planted his artillery there, commanding the whole battlefield, and what the result would have been I leave you to judge.”(1870 letter to G. G. Benedict)

Regarding the ‘importance' of LRT, the following two quotes are from MG Meade who should have had some idea of the importance of that location:

“At the same time that they threw these immense masses against General Sickles a heavy column was thrown upon the Round Top mountain, which was the key-point of my whole position. If they had succeeded in occupying that, it would have prevented me from holding any of the ground which I subsequently held to the last.”(First JCCW testimony)

“…the enemy would have secured Round Top, planted his artillery there, commanding the whole battlefield, and what the result would have been I leave you to judge.”(1870 letter to G. G. Benedict)

--Rick Schaus

What heavy column? And what artillery?

---------------Jim Cameron

Every time I go to Gettysburg, I learn two things. Something new, and, how much I still don't know.

I see your points and agree, Jim. As much as I love the romanticized version of the defense by Chamberlain and the 20th Maine (among other units of Vincent's brigade,) I tend to agree with the notion that it was not as important as most people think...

Regarding the ‘importance' of LRT, the following two quotes are from MG Meade who should have had some idea of the importance of that location:

“At the same time that they threw these immense masses against General Sickles a heavy column was thrown upon the Round Top mountain, which was the key-point of my whole position. If they had succeeded in occupying that, it would have prevented me from holding any of the ground which I subsequently held to the last.”(First JCCW testimony)

“…the enemy would have secured Round Top, planted his artillery there, commanding the whole battlefield, and what the result would have been I leave you to judge.”(1870 letter to G. G. Benedict)

--Rick Schaus

What heavy column? And what artillery?--Jim Cameron

You’d have to ask Meade. They were his statements, not mine.

I simply posted two statements made by Meade, in which he gave his opinion regarding the importance of the Round Tops (primarily LRT, however, Meade did not differentiate between them or refer to one specifically).